When to Yield the Right of Way in New York

By Amir

When to Yield the Right of Way in New York

In New York, you must yield to traffic already in an intersection, to oncoming traffic when you turn left, to the driver on your right when you arrive together at an uncontrolled intersection or STOP signs, to pedestrians in any crosswalk, and to emergency vehicles. When you leave a driveway or parking lot, stop and yield to traffic and pedestrians.

Reviewed by Michael, Professional Driving Instructor
Last updated: October 13, 2026

Below: the New York rules in one table, 11 common situations, school buses, and NYC traffic light rules.

Table of Contents

When to Yield the Right of Way in New York

What Is the Right of Way?

The right of way decides who goes first when two road users want the same space. The law does not give anyone the right of way; it says who must yield. The DMV puts it simply: if you have the right of way, do not think of it as a complete right. Waiting a few seconds is far better than risking a crash.

New York Right-of-Way Rules at a Glance

Situation	Who yields
A car is already in the intersection	You wait for it to finish, even on a green light
Left turn with oncoming traffic	You yield to traffic going straight or turning right
Left turn into a driveway or parking lot	You yield to oncoming traffic
Uncontrolled intersection, or two STOP signs at the same time at right angles	The driver on the left yields to the driver on the right
Leaving a driveway, alley or parking lot	You stop and yield to traffic and pedestrians
Pedestrians in a marked or unmarked crosswalk	You yield, and stop if needed
Blind pedestrian with a guide dog or white or metal cane	You always yield, even if the signal favors you
Traffic circle or roundabout	You yield to traffic already in the circle
Emergency vehicle with lights and siren	Pull to the right edge and stop, from any direction
School bus with flashing red lights	Stop at least 20 feet away, from either direction

From the NY Driver's Manual, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 8 and Chapter 11.

11 Situations When You Should Yield the Right of Way

1. Four-Way Stop

If two drivers stop at the same time at right angles, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. Do not assume the other driver will stop or yield. More in our four-way stop guide.

2. Cars Already in the Intersection

Yield to any vehicle already in the intersection. Example from the DMV: your light is green, but a car is finishing its left turn, so you let it clear first.

3. Pedestrians in a Crosswalk

Yield to pedestrians in marked and unmarked crosswalks, including when you turn right or left. Do not pass a car stopped at a crosswalk, because someone may be crossing where you cannot see.

4. Uncontrolled Intersections

Yield to cars already there, and to the driver on your right if you arrive together.

5. Left Turns

Yield to oncoming traffic going straight or turning right, even on a green light. Keep your wheels straight while you wait. In NYC, watch for pedestrians on your left; the DMV says more than 35% of NYC pedestrian injury crashes happen when a driver is turning left. Signal early, using our turn signal rules.

6. Emergency Vehicles

Pull to the right edge of the road and stop, even if the vehicle is on the other side of a two-way road. If you are in an intersection, drive out of it first. Under the Move Over law, slow down for stopped emergency and hazard vehicles with lights on, and on multi-lane parkways and interstates move out of the lane next to them when it is safe.

7. YIELD Signs

Slow down, be ready to stop, and yield to vehicles and pedestrians in or heading toward the intersection. Stop fully if traffic requires it.

8. Driveways and Parking Lots

Turning left into a driveway, you yield to oncoming traffic. Leaving a driveway, alley or parking lot, you stop and yield to traffic on the road and to pedestrians on the sidewalk.

9. Roundabouts

Yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk and to traffic already circling (look left). Once inside, you have the right of way. Signal right as you approach your exit.

10. Entering an Expressway

Use the ramp to reach traffic speed, signal, look over your shoulder and merge into a safe gap. If the ramp is short, stop and wait for a large gap. Tips for entering an expressway the first time.

11. Blind Pedestrians

A person with a guide dog or a white or metal cane always has the right of way at a marked or unmarked crosswalk, even if the signal is not in their favor.

School Buses

When a stopped school bus flashes its red lights, traffic from both directions must stop, at least 20 feet away. This applies on every road in New York, including school parking lots and the other side of a divided highway. Wait until the bus moves or the driver or an officer waves you on. Fines start at $250 for a first offense. See our guide to school zone driving rules in NYC for speed cameras, crossing guards and drop-off rules.

Traffic Lights and NYC Rules

A green light still means yield to cars and pedestrians already in the intersection. If a traffic light is dark or not working, treat it as a STOP sign. Do not enter an intersection if traffic ahead means you cannot get all the way through. In New York City, you cannot turn right on red unless a sign allows it. See right on red in NYC.

What Are the 10 Right-of-Way Rules You Should Know?

Yield to vehicles already in the intersection.
When turning left, yield to oncoming traffic going straight or turning right.
Yield to pedestrians in marked and unmarked crosswalks.
Always yield to a blind pedestrian with a guide dog or white or metal cane.
At a YIELD sign, slow down and be ready to stop.
Pull to the right edge and stop for emergency vehicles with lights and sirens.
When leaving a driveway, alley or parking lot, stop and yield to traffic and pedestrians.
At a roundabout, yield to traffic already in the circle.
Stop for a school bus with flashing red lights from either direction.
At uncontrolled intersections, yield to cars already there and to the driver on your right.

Practicing turns on narrow streets? Our guides to three-point turns and parallel parking cover the next skills on the road test.

Final Thoughts

Right-of-way rules decide who goes first, but the DMV's advice is to be ready to yield even when the rule is on your side. Learn the big ones: cars already in the intersection, left turns, the driver on your right, pedestrians in any crosswalk, emergency vehicles and school buses. Our instructors coach these decisions at real NYC intersections. Compare options on driving packages, or call the Drive Rite CSR team at 718-928-7048.

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About the author

Amir writes for Drive Rite Academy, a driving school serving Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and Staten Island.

Reviewed by

Michael, Professional Driving Instructor at Drive Rite Academy.

How we made this guide

We checked every rule in this guide on the official New York DMV and New York City pages listed below on October 13, 2026. Rules can change, so check the linked pages before you go. If you spot something out of date, let us know and we will fix it.

Sources: NY DMV, Driver's Manual Chapter 4: Traffic Control; NY DMV, Driver's Manual Chapter 5: Intersections and Turns; NY DMV, Driver's Manual Chapter 6: Passing; NY DMV, Driver's Manual Chapter 8: Defensive Driving; NY DMV, Driver's Manual Chapter 11: Sharing the Road.

When to Yield the Right of Way in New York